The “cutting and clearing” dance during the Tambourine Army's march against sexual abuse and gender violence in Kingston, Jamaica. Photo by Storm Saulter on March 11, 2017, used with permission

Jamaican prosecutors are testing the limits of the country's relatively new Cybercrime Law with a case against Latoya Nugent, an activist who has publicly named alleged perpetrators of sexual violence via social media.

Nugent was arrested last week and charged under Jamaica's Cybercrime Act for “use of a computer for malicious communication.” She has since been released on bail.

Nugent is the co-founder Tambourine Army, a new movement led by women and survivors of sexual violence who are talking openly about their experiences, both online and in public. Triggered by revelations of child sexual abuse by Moravian Church pastor Paul Gardner, the Tambourine Army has garnered support online and off, in a public march in the capital city of Kingston that took place in February. It also has triggered heated debate online in Jamaica.

One of the Army's more controversial tactics is the #SayTheirNames hashtag, where they encourage women to come forward with their stories of sexual abuse by naming the perpetrators before they've had a chance to defend themselves before a judge. Nugent was arrested for identifying several men as sexual predators on social media, some of whom lodged formal complaints with the police.

But the case against Latoya Nugent also raises new questions about the application of Jamaica's Cybercrime Law when it comes to online speech.

Similar to other cybercrime laws around the globe, Jamaica's legislation leaves room for interpretation when it comes to unlawful or “malicious” communication. In an offline setting, Nugent's act of naming and shaming perpetrators of sexual violence would most likely be classified as defamation. In 2013, Jamaica reformed its defamation regime to be treated as a matter of civil — not criminal — law. In short, this means that if a person is convicted of defamation in Jamaica, they can be made to pay damages, but cannot be given a prison sentence.

If she had named perpetrators in a public offline space, authorities may not have had legal grounds for her arrest.

Had the Tambourine Army named perpetrators in a public offline space, authorities may not have had legal grounds for her arrest. But the vague language of the Cybercrime Act appears to have given them just that.

The use of the Cybercrimes Act, in particular, Section 9, which makes it an offence to use a computer for malicious communication, appears to be an attempt to criminalise defamation through the back door.

The case is an example of new challenges activists face as speech is increasingly policed by various kinds of cybercrime legislation in the world.

[…] We all see this for what it really is – a witch hunt for a group of activists who are challenging a society that does not want to confront its problems with child sexual abuse and other manifestations of gender based violence.

In February 2017, after some social media users were circulating gruesome images of female murder victims, Trinidad and Tobago's attorney general said that he intends to bring amendments to The Cybercrime Bill to Cabinet in order to curb such irresponsible online behaviour. The legislation may also apply to “reckless users” who, by sharing unverified information, cause people to panic or be fearful.

Please be AWARE of bills being considered in our own parliament about how we use social media and how we speak and what it will mean. When it comes to laws, it pays to be a little bit paranoid and consider the worst case scenarios. Look at the loopholes and how the wording of the law can be manipulated.

Nugent's next court appearance is scheduled for March 22. Until then, the debate will no doubt continue.